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Naming your business may have been one of the first things you did. However, as you embarked upon the process of following your business plan, you have felt the need to revisit the name, realizing just how crucial it is to both your business and brand. Keeping your business identity in mind, consider the opinions of experts, digest the information and let the right name emerge. Heed entrepreneur.com when it advises small business owners to put as much energy into the business name as into the business plan and location.

Do's

1

Make your business name descriptive. Businesses with names defining the product or service tend to be more successful, according to smallbusiness.findlaw.com.

2

Keep it simple. Give your potential customer base an identifying, to-the-point name and concept to remember. According to brandingstrategyinsider.com, "Seven-Up worked out so much better than 'Bib-Label Lithiated Lemon-Lime Soda.'"

3

Select an intelligible name. You need one easy to pronounce and easy to recall, recommends brandingstrategyinsider.com.

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4

Ponder the name awhile. Give the sound and sense of it time to settle into your mind.

5

Consult with experts. Naming firms have the expertise to address your naming need from multiple angles. With an understanding of trademark laws and the dynamics of good and bad names, a naming firm can guide your decision making, according to entrepreneur.com. Such a firm will research your market and help you find a fitting name for your product or service that will help establish your market identity.

Don'ts

1

Avoid using your personal name, first or last, in your business name. In the event your venture falters, you do not want your name associated with failure, advises smallbusinessfindlaw.com.

2

Select a name with classic tones, not something trendy, advises smallbusinessfindlaw.com. For example, if you are opening a coffee shop, you do not want to borrow from Seattle's fame for coffee in the 1990s. That may not hold up over time.

3

Keep your identity in mind. If you have a bakery, and you want to convey the warmth and freshness of baked goods, do not name the business "Kate's Breads," recommends entrepreneur.com. Instead, think of images associated with freshly-baked bread.